Mix-Up
by Racey
Summary: Otowa High belongs to the delinquents. Otowa Prep belongs to the normal students, focused on their studies and club activities. Sendo Takeshi is the king of Otowa High, while Makunouchi Ippo is just another "Preppy" from Otowa Prep. When an encounter with a group of delinquents goes wrong for Ippo, Sendo comes to his rescue. AU, YAOI, Sendo/Ippo, Swearing, Violence.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

The grass was soft and comfortable as Ippo reclined on his back in the open field beside the high school he attended. He had his arms behind his head and his eyes on the endless blue sky. He'd decided to skip lunch, opting to take a break at his personal hideaway. No one really came out into the field, not even the delinquents from the neighboring high school. Ippo cringed as he thought about the rough and brash students from Otowa High, who were always itching for a fight. He was glad he attended Otowa Prep, which was strictly for what most would call the "regular" students, who wanted to learn and didn't have fighting on the brain twenty-four hours of the day. He was _glad_, but it wasn't as if it made much of a difference which school he attended since the delinquent school was a mere fifty meters away from his own.

Ippo sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun washing over his face. He had a feeling that his handful of friends were looking for him since he'd disappeared without notice, but he hoped they wouldn't mind. Miyata-kun probably would; he always did. He was so temperamental, but he was also Ippo's best friend. He had his good points too. Ippo grinned as he thought of his small, rag-tag group of friends. There was Umezawa-kun, who was a third-year student and a mangaka hopeful; there was Kobashi-san, who was also a third-year student, but who wanted to be an investigative reporter; and lastly, there was Kumi-san. He blushed a little. He knew the brunette had a crush on him, but what could he tell her? She was a nice girl, but he wasn't interested.

"Well, well, if it ain't a _Preppy_."

Ippo's eyes flew open. He lay there, heart racing as he heard a rough voice speaking from directly behind him. Why the hell was a delinquent around here? They never came out to the field. Ippo slowly sat up and gathered his school bag before carefully climbing to his feet. He didn't want to make any sudden movements that might set the guy off. Once he was standing, he glanced around and was dismayed to find that he was being surrounded by at least five guys.

_Shit_.

He nervously straightened his tie and the sleeves of his white, short-sleeved school shirt. What was he supposed to do? Maybe if he just apologized for being there, they would let him leave with his hide still in tact.

"Um," he started. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trespass."

The leader of the group who'd spoken first, spoke up again. He had on the dark, high-collared uniform of Otowa High, as did the others, and his hair was pulled back in a long, silver pony-tail. Red-framed shades hid his eyes, but Ippo was sure they were aimed right at him. He shifted uncomfortably as the guy smirked.

"Awww, he's groveling. Think we should let 'im go?"

The group tittered and a few even started cracking their knuckles. Ippo felt sweat gathering at the nape of his neck, along his brow and above his top lip. This was so bad. He'd never had an encounter with any delinquents, and he kind of wanted to keep it that way. He wanted to press the issue that he hadn't come there intending to start any trouble, but figured from the looks on the delinquents' faces, it wasn't such a good idea. So, he shifted some more and remained silent.

A delinquent to his left chuckled and took a couple of steps forward. "I say we pound 'im, Kugo."

The leader (Kugo, Ippo was assuming) also took a few steps forward and cracked his knuckles.

"I think I agree witcha, Kyosuke. This here's easy prey. Ain't no way I c'n overlook it."

Ippo's heart rate spiked, but before he could do anything more than open his mouth to protest, he was hit from behind. He stumbled forward, his bag swinging on his shoulder and throwing off his balance even more. He tried to ignore the pounding at the base of his skull in order to protect himself, but was knocked to the ground. He fell on his face, but had enough sense to cover his head and face as the delinquents swarmed him, legs and feet everywhere. He had his eyes squeezed shut as he was kicked in the ribs, stomach and legs. His head caught a few shots even though he had his arms around it. He was being overwhelmed, and since no one knew where he was, he wouldn't be surprised if the delinquents killed him. From the way they were kicking him, he had a feeling that that was exactly what would happen. He wanted to yell for help, but refused to show any weakness to the idiots mobbing him.

A sharp kick slipped through his arms and connected with his face, splitting his lip and crushing his nose. He didn't think it was broken, but the pain was intense enough to cause his eyes to tear up. He gritted his teeth and curled up into a ball. Maybe that would make it harder for the feet coming at him to explode through his defenses. His head was throbbing, and his body was damned near numb from the pain wracking it, but he still hung onto his consciousness. Just when he was beginning to think the beating would never cease, he heard an aggressive tenor call out over the scuffling.

"Oi! The fuck're you guys doin'?"

All action came to an abrupt halt as the attacking delinquents turned to the new person on the scene. Ippo didn't recognize the boy speaking, but hoped maybe he belonged to the student council or someone that would help him out of his sticky situation.

"Huuuuuuh? Who wants ta know?" Kugo snapped.

Ippo peered from beneath his arms and spied a short kid with ink-dark hair and light-blue eyes. He had his arms folded across his chest, scowl fierce and accusing. Who was that?

"Boss don' like scum like you on his turf," the dark-haired boy said before spitting. "Ya might wanna move along."

Kugo grinned and cocked his head to the side. "Heh. Why should I be scared a'yer boss?"

"'Cuz ya don' wanna get yer ass kicked, that's why."

Even though the boy wore the Otowa High uniform, Ippo's eyes still widened at the curt tone. Didn't the boy realize that he was outnumbered? He tried to lift his head and his vision swam out of focus, making it crash back to the ground. No matter how hard he tried, he felt himself slipping away, darkness creeping around the edges of his sight. That was when he saw another boy approaching, hands in the pants pockets of his dark Otowa high uniform. He had messy, brown hair, but that was all Ippo was able to see before his eyes slid shut. A moment later, he heard a new voice added to the commotion.

"Wha's this shit?"

The boy with blue eyes answered the newcomer. "Jus' a bunch a'dumbasses, Boss. Nothin' serious."

Ippo heard feet shuffling before Kugo spoke up, voice wavering. "Sh-shit! I didn' know this was yer turf!"

"Guess it's a little late for that, eh?" the newcomer said, voice deep and threatening.

But that was all Ippo remembered before everything went dark.

**XxxxxxX**

Before he even opened his eyes, the pain made him cringe and wince. His entire body felt like a boxing club member had used him as a sandbag. His stomach felt like tenderized beef, and his head felt like an elephant had sat on it.

"Owww," he groaned.

"Ah! Makunouchi-kun!"

He knew that voice. "Kumi-san?" he mumbled, eyes still closed.

"Yes! Are you OK, Makunouchi-kun?"

Ippo groaned again. "I don't know. I guess so since I'm still alive."

If Kumi-san was there, then he had to be on friendly ground again. Thank goodness. He dragged his eyelids apart, squinting at the bright fluorescent light above him. Where was he? Once his vision came into focus, a few concerned faces floated before him.

"Umezawa-san, Miyata-kun, Kobashi-san. What happened?"

No one spoke for a long few moments. Ippo searched their faces and realized that not only were they concerned, but they seemed shocked as well.

"Um, you guys? What happened? Is it my face?"

His friends exchanged glances with one another before turning back to Ippo. Finally, Miyata-kun spoke up.

"You were jumped by Otowa High. What the hell were you doing over there?"

Ippo blushed as he averted his eyes. "I was, um...relaxing. I go there to be alone."

"At Otowa High?!" Umezawa-san squeaked. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Well, no one usually goes to the field there, so I figured it would be OK."

Miyata-kun smacked his forehead and sucked his teeth. "Stupid," he grumbled. "It's still Otowa High property."

Ippo looked at his friends again, but still couldn't help thinking that there was more to the story. They seemed a bit shell-shocked. Especially Kobashi-san.

"K-Kobashi-san. Is there something else bothering you?" he asked.

Kobashi-san's eyes grew enormous as all gazes were directed at him. He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head before blowing out a deep breath in resignation.

"I'm sure everyone's thinking the same thing I am; they just don't want to say it."

Ippo gingerly sat up, regretting the movement almost instantly, but as he did so, he noticed a dark jacket draped over his shoulders. He froze, speechless as he recognized the jacket as being part of the Otowa High uniform. Whose could it be?

"How did I get here?" he blurted when it seemed like no one was going to talk. "I remember passing out after those guys beat me up, but that's about it. Did one of you find me?"

They all exchanged glances again, but this time the looks passed around were clearly uneasy. It was Umezawa-san that spoke up, however.

"Ippo...we didn't find you. You were brought here."

"Eh?" Ippo noised. "By who?"

Umezawa-san chuckled and rubbed the tip of his nose, a habit he had whenever he was nervous about something. After a few silent beats, he locked eyes with Ippo, more serious than Ippo had ever seen him in the couple of short years he'd known him.

"_The_ Sendo Takeshi."

The silence in the room was profound. Ippo had heard stories of the legendary third-year student at Otowa High, but he'd never actually seen the guy himself. Sendo Takeshi was rumored to be the toughest, strongest delinquent in the school. He was at the top of the food chain. Ippo had heard that Sendo had once defeated an entire group of fifty delinquents. He didn't know if that was true, or just a myth that had been created to make the boy stronger than he really was. Whatever the case, no one doubted it, and it left the guy in charge of Otowa High.

"W-what?" he stuttered. "That's not true."

Miyata-kun arched a brow and smirked. "You calling us liars now? We know what we saw."

Ippo's heart almost stopped. Why? Just the thought of being in the same vicinity of the Naniwa Tiger had his heart hiccuping and his blood cold as ice.

"You _saw_ him? What did he look like? Was he mean? Did anyone get hurt?"

He had so many questions!

"Calm down, Ippo," Kobashi-san chortled.

Umezawa-san sat forward in his seat beside Ippo's bed, eyes alight with excitement. "I'd never seen the kid before because he's got so many freakin' underlings, but he wasn't what I was expectin'."

"What do you mean?" Ippo asked.

"Well-" Umezawa-san started.

"He's not as scary as everyone thought. In fact...he's kind of an idiot," Miyata-kun interrupted.

Ippo paused before making a disbelieving face. "I don't believe that. Why would you call him an idiot, Miyata-kun?"

Miyata-kun exchanged glances with the rest of the group, a slow, wicked grin lifting the corner of his mouth. Kumi-san blushed and smiled with a slightly arched brow.

"He's..." Kobashi-san said, waving his hands in the air. "A little silly, maybe, but he's damned sure scary. You remember how he looked when he walked in here?" he asked, turning his gaze to Miyata-kun. "There were a bunch of students trailing behind him, whispering and pointing at his uniform, and he looked like he would've killed them if he hadn't been carrying Ippo."

"_Carrying me_?! What do you mean?!"

Ippo was horrified. He'd never been carried before, and he hadn't really planned on it, either. Now, not only did he apparently owe his life to the head delinquent of Otowa High, but he owed the guy an apology as well. He never would have subjected another male to something so humiliating.

"Jeez, you're slower than usual today," Miyata-kun grumbled. "_He_ didn't care about that, so why should _you_? How else was he going to get you here?"

Miyata-kun was right, but it didn't lessen the sting of mortification. Ippo closed his eyes and lifted a hand to press it to his forehead, when it got caught under the hem of the dark jacket around his shoulders. Face flushing, he lowered his hand and eyes to the bed he was seated on.

"Is this his?"

"Yup!" Umezawa-san answered proudly and far too happily for Ippo's taste.

"Uwahhhh," Ippo groaned and tried to hide his face with his hands, when he realized his left arm was bandaged from his fingers to his elbows. "What's this?" he yelped.

"Yamaguchi-sensei said your wrist was sprained," Kumi-san said quietly.

Ippo didn't know what to do first, but settled with lifting his uninjured arm to his head. A large bandage was wrapped around it. He sighed. This had officially turned into a bad day.

"Aww, don't look so sad, Ippo," Umezawa-san soothed. "At least you're still alive!"

"Shut up, stupid," Miyata-kun drawled before turning to Kobashi-san. "I'll help this guy home. Can you grab his homework and meet us at his house?"

Kobashi-san nodded, climbed to his feet and took off towards the door. Kumi-san glanced down at her watch and turned as pale as the moon.

"I-I have to get home. Brother will be there soon, and he'll be hungry. See you guys later," she said before jumping up and leaving as well.

Umezawa-san shrugged and stood up. "I guess I can help you get the cripple home," he announced.

Ippo scowled at that. Just because he was sore all over and still in a state of shock, it didn't mean he couldn't get himself home safely. But then, he noticed the looks on Umezawa-san's and Miyata-kun's faces and realized that their company had nothing to do with helping him home. It had everything to do with making sure he made it home without getting jumped again. He nodded and slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. When he stood, the room tilted and made him grab the air to catch his balance. Unfortunately, it didn't work, but luckily, Miyata-kun was there to steady him.

They inched towards the infirmary entrance and Ippo caught a whiff of an unfamiliar scent. It was wild but welcoming. He turned his head to the side discreetly and sniffed. So, it was the jacket. He smiled a little. To think the most dangerous delinquent of Otowa High had been nice enough to get him out of that horrible scrape. As he, Miyata-kun and Umezawa-san made their way to his home, a thought occurred to him. He had to thank Sendo-san for his kindness.

And return his jacket.

**XxxxxxX**

It was once again time for lunch the next day, but Ippo was finding it hard to get away from his group of friends. He was wearing the school uniform of white, short-sleeved, button-up shirt, gray tie and gray slacks, but his left arm was still bandaged. So was his head, but he figured it was better than being an invalid for several days at a time.

However, that was neither here nor there.

He was stuck in the middle of his friends, trying to come up with a way to distract them so he could run over to Otowa High and find Sendo-san. All night he'd thought of the delinquent teen who'd saved him. He was trying to put an image to the name, but could only remember sable-brown hair and a deep voice. He blushed. If that had been Sendo-san, his voice was really nice. It was aggressive and strong, just like his reputation.

They were on the side of Otowa Prep, where most of the students congregated for lunch and sometimes to cut classes. Each one of Ippo's friends had either a brown paper bag or a bento in front of them. They weren't really paying attention to him, but that didn't mean he was free to make any sudden moves. He'd been accompanied by at least _one_ of his friends the entire day, starting from the moment he'd left his home. He supposed he could understand why they were being so overprotective, but with the plan he'd devised in his mind, their closeness was becoming a hindrance. He sighed and studied the bento his mom had packed for him. It looked as delicious as it always did, but his mind was stuck on the brunet teenager who'd saved his life.

He looked up and spotted a familiar face walking by. The boy was a foreign exchange student from Russia with flame-red hair and sky-blue eyes. His name was Volg-san, and he was precisely who Ippo needed in order to get from under the watchful eyes of his friends. He jumped to his feet and was instantly surrounded. Miyata-kun, Kobashi-san, Umezawa-san and Kumi-san were all standing as well and looking at him while wearing deep frowns.

_Jeez_.

"Eh-heh. I'm just going to say hi to my friend, Volg-san over there," he said, finger pointed in the red head's direction.

They all turned in Volg-san's direction, and Ippo made his escape. He grabbed his uneaten food and dashed over to the red head, heart pounding. He hoped this worked. Once he skidded to a walk beside Volg-san, the third-year student glanced over at him in shock before recognition hit him and made him smile.

"Ah! Makunouchi!"

"Volg-san, hi! Can I walk with you for a second?" Ippo asked as he peered nervously over his shoulder.

Luckily, none of his friends were following him, but Miyata-kun watched him with narrowed, dark eyes. Ippo had a feeling he would be grilled later on, but right now, he had a master scheme to unfold.

"Sure. Where are you headed?"

Volg-san's accent was completely endearing. Even though he had a good grasp of Japanese, he still fumbled here and there with it.

"I'm going to the bridge."

Volg-san arched a dark eyebrow and gave Ippo an incredulous look. "Are you sure about that? You look like you've already been across that bridge."

Ippo chuckled. He knew Volg-san would understand when he said he was going to the bridge. The bridge referred to the long, window-lined corridor that led from Otowa Prep into Otowa High – the only way to gain access to the delinquent school directly from Otowa Prep.

"I'm sure. I have something to do there."

Volg-san didn't seem convinced, if his expression was any indication. However, he remained silent after giving a slow nod.

"I'll be fine," Ippo continued.

He didn't know whether he was trying to reassure Volg-san or _himself_.

They entered the school and headed for the main building, students creating a wide path for the two boys. Ippo frowned, wondering what was going on, when he remembered that Volg-san was the boxing club's champion. He'd won the title all three years in a row, so it was no wonder that the rest of the population stayed out of his way. Ippo kept shooting the slightly taller boy furtive glances from the corner of his eye. Volg-san was quieter than usual today. Whenever he and Ippo hung out, the red head was talkative and animated. Today was different. Ippo cleared his throat and hesitated only a moment before speaking.

"Volg-san, is everything alright with you?"

Volg-san jolted like Ippo had just tripped him before turning wide, luminous blue eyes in Ippo's direction. "Huh?"

"You seem distracted. Are you OK?"

Volg-san frowned a little as he faced forward again. "I'm fine. I was just thinking."

Ippo didn't want to intrude or seem like he was prying, but he hated seeing a friend looking that way. If Volg-san was depressed or upset, Ippo wanted to help. But how could he further inquire without seeming like a nosy pest? Just as he decided to say to hell with it and go for it, they approached the intersection that turned into the bridge. Ippo paused, feeling like he was standing at the mouth of a dark, yawning cave. Volg-san stopped with him and gave him a look that spoke volumes of how he really felt about Ippo traveling over to enemy territory. The red head placed a hand on Ippo's shoulder and nodded.

"Be careful, Makunouchi."

Ippo nodded in return and squared his shoulders. A quick breath later, and he was walking across the bridge, heart beating so fast, it was nearly vibrating. His palms were clammy and sweaty, and his armpits were itchy with anxiety. He didn't know what to expect, didn't even know where he was going to start his search for his brown-haired savior, but he'd made up his mind to find the elusive and notorious Sendo Takeshi, so that was what he planned to do. He had the boy's school jacket wrapped around his waist so he wouldn't have to carry it, and so it wouldn't hamper him in case he ran into trouble.

At first glance, the bridge hadn't seemed so long, but now it felt like it stretched on for miles. The hall was long and quiet, devoid of students of either school, and Ippo was able to hear every last one of his footsteps landing against the cold, hard linoleum. He'd give anything to have a companion with him. The thought prompted him to look over his shoulder for Volg-san, but the red head had already moved on. Ippo faced forward again, shoulders sagging with disappointment. It would have been nice to have someone there to watch his back, but he knew if he'd asked his other friends, they never would have let him leave the side of the building where they were eating lunch.

He took a deep breath and forged forward, apprehension spiking at the sight of the drastic change in atmosphere ahead of him. The walls of Otowa High were cracked, chipped and peeling and covered with graffiti, and the floor sported a thick blanket of grime and dirt. The windows in the hall were broken, and Ippo assumed the authorities just never bothered to replace them. The only light in the place came from the windows, all the artificial bulbs shattered, the destroyed fixtures hanging from the ceiling. The aura gave Ippo the urge to run and grab a bat or a pipe. _Anything_ that would give him a slight advantage over any potential threats.

He'd just made it around the first corner, when a tall teenager with ridiculous eyebrows and dark, narrowed eyes made him freeze in his tracks. It was like the other boy's gaze alone had pinned his feet to the floor, making it impossible for him to move an inch. The guy moved forward, followed by a couple of other smirking teenagers. Ippo swallowed harshly, cursing his awful luck. What were the chances that he'd turn down the first corner and run smack into a group of delinquents looking for trouble? A small voice whispered in his mind, "_one hundred percent_."

He held up his hands and kept his eyes on all of the delinquents, having already learned from yesterday: take your eye off of even _one_ of them, and you could instantly become overwhelmed. The tall leader with the bushy brows kept moving forward, hands in the pockets of his pants. Ippo backed up a step, then remembered what he'd come to Otowa High for in the first place. He held his ground and lowered his hands, his face morphing into one of fierce determination.

_I WILL find Sendo-san_.

The leader stopped moving and cocked his head to the side, amused smirk spreading his lips upward. "Ya look like yer ready ta be crushed. That what ya came here for?"

Ippo didn't even grace the guy with an answer. His eyes sharpened on one of the delinquents slithering closer from the left. The boy on the right was trying to close off the path that led down the hall and deeper into the school. That was when Ippo made his move. He didn't have time to stick around and be distracted by these idiots. The second he took a hasty step, the leader of the group twitched and reacted. He lunged at Ippo, ludicrously long arms shooting forward. Ippo almost lost his composure at the sight of those snake-like appendages headed right at him, but instead, he swatted them away and sidestepped the taller student.

Didn't matter.

One of those long arms followed him to the side and the boy's fist crashed into Ippo's jaw, shocking him into stillness. He had a brief lapse of common sense as he stared at the tall delinquent before he pushed himself into action again. He leaned forward and took off at a dead sprint, exploding through the other delinquents who had fallen in line behind the leader. Ippo pumped his legs and arms, not sure where he was going, and not caring the slightest. The delinquents were shouting and hot on his heels as he led them on a high-speed chase through the depressing halls of Otowa High.

"Get back here, ya lil shit!" one of them hollered.

Ippo spared a quick glance over his shoulder and wanted to grin. He was a lot faster than the delinquents, even the tall leader. They were about fifteen meters behind him, but he wouldn't get comfortable with the space between them. He turned two more corners and leaped two flights of stairs before he skidded to a stop at the entrance to another long hall. The sign on the wall read 3C, but that wasn't what'd grabbed his attention. It was the kid that he'd seen yesterday, who'd been calling Sendo-san "Boss." Well, him and a huge crowd of mean-looking thugs. Ippo swallowed again, heart still thudding behind his ribs. He was more than aware of the sound of the delinquents who'd been chasing him, moving in fast from behind. He looked around wildly. Was this the end of his rope?

The commotion made the boy with blue eyes look up from the craps game he'd been participating in. Those cold-looking eyes focused on Ippo and made him feel the urge to shudder. He didn't know what to do, but he had to get away from those delinquents that were chasing him. Maybe the boy would help him out since he'd been there when Sendo-san had helped him yesterday. It was worth a try. He took a step forward and was suddenly halted by a kendo stick to the side of his neck. Where in the world had that even come from? He slid a look to his right and immediately understood. He was standing next to the classroom window, and a boy (who looked more like a man; he had a mustache and everything) with dark-brown hair and coal-colored eyes had him held hostage.

"Whoa there, kid. Where ya goin'?" the boy asked.

His voice was deep and calm, but nonetheless dangerous. Ippo shifted his weight as he stared at the kendo stick from the corner of his eye. He hoped the boy wouldn't take offense to the question he planned to ask next, but he figured it was his only shot at finding Sendo-san.

"D-do you know where S-Sendo-san i-is?" he stuttered, too afraid to move.

The boy pressed the stick harder against Ippo's throat and gave a low hum. "Now why ya wanna know that, hm?"

"I-I just need to speak to him."

"Abouuut?" the boy coaxed with an amused lilt to his tone.

"U-um, I, uh-"

"There he is!"

Ippo almost swallowed his tongue. The delinquents that had been chasing him had finally caught up to him. He turned his head slightly and gave a panicked glance to the boy holding the kendo stick before he thrust upward with his right hand, knocking the stick out of the boy's grasp. The boy's eyes widened in surprise as he watched Ippo hoist himself over the window and into the classroom.

As soon he was inside, he was grabbed from several different directions and forced to stand still. His arms were held in place as he gave the classroom a quick sweep with his eyes. There were delinquents positioned all around the room, some seated on top of desks, while others held up the walls. They were either playing cards, craps or arm wrestling, but all of that had been put on hold with Ippo's sudden appearance. All eyes were on him as life seemed to suspend in midair. He was about to ask his question again, when the words died in his throat. His eyes had settled on a teen seated on top of a desk at the back of the classroom. The teen was staring at him, one eyebrow arched, and rich, brown eyes amused. He had untamed brown hair, and everything about him screamed danger.

Could it be?

Ippo just stared and stared until the spell was broken by the leader of the delinquents who'd been chasing him through the school.

"Oi, Sendo! Lemme take this kid off yer hands."

It was! He'd found him!

Sendo-san frowned and slowly climbed down from his perch before making his way over. His walk was measured but confident before he came to a stop right in front of Ippo. He was a little taller and a bit bulkier, making his demanding aura that much more potent. His eyes never left Ippo's as he stood over him, quietly studying him. After a few moments, his head listed to the side and he gave a full-blown predatory grin full of sharp canines and brilliant teeth.

"Can't stay outta trouble, huh, kid?"

Ippo felt a strange heat gathering in his gut as he watched the head delinquent of Otowa High move his mouth. His voice was deep and almost intimate. Ippo forced his sense to return as he shook himself. He snatched his arms away from the delinquents holding him back, garnering a small chorus of surprised exclamations. Amidst the shock, he stepped into the small space between himself and Sendo-san, and after maintaining eye contact for a bit, he bent into a low bow.

"Sendo-san!" When he returned to an upright position, Sendo-san was wearing a baffled expression. "I-I...I just wanted to thank you for yesterday." He stopped and unwrapped the boy's jacket from around his waist before holding it out to him. "A-and to give this back."

Sendo-san stared at Ippo like he'd asked for a kiss. Ippo didn't blame him. His actions probably _were_ a bit strange. Not only had he crossed enemy lines, but he'd stormed the enemy fort as well. All to express his thanks and to return an item of clothing. How stupid was he?

"Yer serious."

Ippo met his eyes timidly. He was nervous now that he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do. What was going to happen now? Would Sendo-san make fun of him and throw him to the wolves?

"Y-yes. Yes, I am."

"Heh! So, yer tellin' me ya came all the way up here jus' ta say thanks?"

"Yes."

Sendo-san took the jacket Ippo offered him and set it down on a desk behind him before giving Ippo his attention again.

"Well, this is new," he mumbled, eyes roving over Ippo and making him squirm uncomfortably.

There was something about Sendo-san's eyes that made him want to know more, made him want to stare all day. That, and they looked like they could be scary as hell.

"That all ya wanted?"

Ippo nodded at the brunet, inwardly praying that the teen would have mercy on him and not make him have to fend for himself against a school full of pissed off delinquents. Sendo-san watched him a while longer before he finally turned to the leader of the delinquents from earlier.

"Mashiba. Let 'im go."

Mashiba's eyes bulged, and his mouth opened and closed in stunned fury. "Wha'?"

"I said let 'im go," Sendo-san repeated, but this time his voice was lower, and his eyes were hard and narrow, the air around him all tense and commanding.

Ippo hid a shudder as he continued to watch the brunet delinquent. The other boy was fascinating to look at, and something about him called out to Ippo like a sinful temptation. Mashiba went quiet, but a vein in his forehead throbbed and stood out like a streak of lightning beneath his skin. Sendo-san turned back to Ippo and grinned, eyes going soft.

"Ya better get back ta class," he said.

Ippo nodded, too giddy to speak. He turned on his heel, not willing to question the brunet's kindness. He got three steps away before Sendo-san called out.

"Hey! Wha's yer name, kid?"

Ippo stopped and glanced over his shoulder long enough to state his name before he was out the door and running down the hall, back the way he'd come.

He didn't hear Sendo-san when he said, "Makunouchi, huh?"


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

**For my loves Trace, Dez, and Kill: thanks for believing I could do this!**

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Sendo watched the Preppies file out of the building from his perch on the roof. He really couldn't stand them because they seemed to strut around with an air of superiority that rubbed him the wrong way. What made them better than him? What made them think they were fucking invincible, huh? No, he hated the Preppies. ...But there was one who intrigued him to no end. One who seemed to actually have balls. Sendo's eyes roved the pavement below, searching.

"I had a feelin' you'd be up here," a deep voice said from behind.

Sendo glanced over his shoulder at his best friend and smirked. "An' why's that?"

"'Cuz ya had that special look in yer eye after that kid left yesterday. Thought ya might wanna see 'im in his natural habitat."

Randy Boy Jr. AKA "Old Man" as Sendo called him, sauntered over to the high fence of the roof and leaned against it as he peered through the diamond shaped spaces. Sendo shrugged as he focused on the ground again.

"Maybe."

Randy stroked his neatly trimmed mustache before sighing and facing Sendo. "So whattaya want with this kid, anyway? Granted he's got a lot of balls for comin' ta Otowa High an' lookin' for ya...or maybe he's just crazy. Either way, he's got yer nose wide open. Why?"

"He's different."

"Wha'?"

"I said he's different. He didn' look at me like he wanted ta call the cops, and he didn' look like he was scared a'me either. He's different," Sendo ended, his voice going quiet.

Randy "hmph'ed" and went silent. Sendo, on the other hand, continued with his search. He wondered what the kid was like when he wasn't getting into scrapes with the delinquents of Otowa High.

_Makunouchi Ippo, huh?_ Sendo inwardly mused. _He's cute_.

"Gahahahaha!" a boisterous voice bellowed from below, drawing Sendo's attention.

He saw a dark-haired kid running from the building, hand raised in the air and clutching what looked like packaged bread.

"Umezawa-saaaaaaaannn!" a more familiar voice scolded.

Sendo's ears twitched as his eyes switched to the boy chasing the dark-haired kid from the building. A slow grin formed across his lips. _Bingo_. Makunouchi's arms were outstretched as he sprinted after Umezawa, who was still cackling like a video game villain.

"Give it back! That's my lunch!"

"Ya gotta come get it, Ippo!"

"Umezawa-saaaaaaan!"

Sendo turned to Randy with a wolfish grin. "Target acquired."

Randy sighed and stroked his mustache again. "I'm comin' with ya. Ain't no tellin' what kinda upheaval yer plannin' ta cause."

"Ah. You know me so well, Old Man. But I ain't tryna start nothin'. I just wanna go say hi ta my new friend."

"Right. If you say so, Sendo."

Sendo turned on his heel, grin even wider as he shoved his hands into his uniform pockets and strode away. He could hear Randy muttering to himself the whole trip to the lower level, but he paid it no mind. His thoughts were on Makunouchi and his big, earnest gray eyes, his spiky, dark hair, and his easy-going smile. He wanted to hear the kid's voice again, even if it was just to laugh at how ridiculously polite he was.

Sendo left the Otowa High building and sauntered over to the open area where he'd seen Makunouchi and his buddy. Almost immediately, the Preppies started pointing and whispering. He didn't give a shit. He knew for a fact that they wouldn't make a move as long as his name was Sendo Takeshi. He paused for a moment as he let his eyes roam the Preppies, intimidating them with his friendly smirk. Then, he spotted Makunouchi, and his mind was once again on one track. Makunouchi was with the same group of people who'd met up with him in the Otowa Prep infirmary: the rich snob Miyata, Mashiba's little sister, the doofus who'd stolen Makunouchi's lunch, and some quiet kid that Sendo didn't know. As he drew closer, he noticed how Makunouchi's friends seemed to flank around him like a shield. Randy must have noticed it too because he chuckled.

"How cute," he rumbled.

Sendo nodded, but didn't let the glares being sent his way deter him. Finally, he stopped right in front of Miyata, who was blocking Makunouchi's path, arms folded across his chest.

"What do you want?" Miyata snapped.

Sendo tilted his head to the side and grinned some more. "I came ta talk ta Makunouchi. Ya mind?"

"Actually, I do."

He wasn't very big on defiance or patience, so Miyata was beginning to get on his last nerve. He opened his mouth to let the little tight-ass in on the secret, when Makunouchi edged into view from behind Miyata. His hand and forearm was still wrapped, but the bandage on his head was gone. He peered up at Sendo with such innocent eyes, it made Sendo want to steal him.

"It's OK, Miyata-kun. I don't think he wants to hurt me."

"Damned straight! I just wanna talk ta ya."

"A-about what, Sendo-san?"

Sendo glanced at Makunouchi's group of friends, the dirty looks rolling right off of him. He grinned until it hurt before stepping into Makunouchi's space and throwing an arm across the shorter boy's shoulders.

"Let's take a walk, huh?" he suggested.

Makunouchi's eyes went round with surprise as Sendo propelled him forward. This time, it was Mashiba's sister who protested.

"Makunouchi-kun!"

Sendo sucked his teeth. He was getting really tired of being nice to Makunouchi's guard dogs. However, before he even had a chance to say anything, Randy moved in with his hands held up in surrender.

"Look, we don' want no trouble. Sendo said he just wants ta talk ta the kid, so that's all he's gonna do."

"Thanks, Old Man!" Sendo gave his attention back to Makunouchi. "What's wit' yer friends, huh? They think I'm the Boogeyman 'er somethin'?"

Makunouchi's look of astonishment melted into an amused grin. "Haha! I never thought of it like that!"

A small something rolled over in Sendo's gut the longer he watched happiness dance across Makunouchi's face. What the hell was it about this guy that made him react like he had a crush for the first time ever?

Sendo led Makunouchi over to a tree, where he removed his arm from the teen's shoulders. His hands instantly dove into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. Makunouchi actually fidgeted, toying with his fingers and studying the ground. He was too cute.

"Ya know, I ain't never met a Preppy like you. Yer the first one ta come lookin' for me on my own turf. That's really somethin'."

"I-I just wanted to return your jacket and to thank you for helping me. Th-that's all."

"Yeah, I heard ya the first time ya said it. Still don't change the fact that ya actually went through wit' it, ya know? But anyway, I figure a guy like you I can be friends wit'. I ain't got many, mind you, but...well...ya got heart is what I'm tryna say. An' I like people wit' heart. So...whattaya say, Makunouchi? Wanna be my friend?"

This would be a test of Makunouchi's merit. Would he be disgusted since Sendo was a filthy delinquent? Would he reject him the way any of the other Preppies would have done in the blink of an eye? He hoped not, but if Makunouchi did, it would let Sendo know that he wasn't worth it, after all.

"Heart," Makunouchi said quietly to himself with a soft smile. After a few beats, he raised his eyes to meet Sendo's and nodded. "Let's be friends, Sendo-san."

Heat threatened to envelope his entire face as he stared at Makunouchi. God, but the kid was an enigma. He didn't understand him at all. But...Makunouchi had passed the test with flying colors, so now it was up to Sendo to keep his end of the bargain. And why not? Makunouchi was interesting enough to keep Sendo from being bored for days. He'd make it a game.

See how long the Preppy lasted being friends with a delinquent.

XOXOXO

Ippo's heart was beating so fast, it hurt. There was nothing that could have prepared him for Sendo's abrupt offer of friendship. The older boy was so mysterious and unpredictable, but he seemed nice enough. Even with a devilish smirk that had the power to lift the hairs along the back of Ippo's neck, Sendo didn't seem like the monster Otowa Prep made him out to be.

Ippo's friends might not agree with his decision to befriend the most notorious delinquent of Otowa High, but he strangely didn't care, which was an oddity in and of itself. Normally, he cared too much what his friends thought about him. This time around, though, he planned to stand his ground. He didn't know why Sendo had asked him to be friends, but he was looking forward to it. The taller teen stared down at him, his piercing brown eyes unusually soft.

"So, it's a deal then. We're friends."

Ippo nodded, barely able to contain his grin. Sendo reached forward and ruffled his hair before stuffing that same hand back in his pants pocket.

"See ya 'round, Makunouchi."

Ippo watched the brunet saunter back to the boy who'd accompanied him before they both ambled back to their school. Before Ippo could make his way back to his friends, he was bombarded by students, all of them wondering what the head delinquent of Otowa High had wanted with him. He was so overwhelmed that he didn't know what to do. Some of the students were grabbing his shirt, others yelling at him. He was beginning to panic until a thickly accented voice hollered over the mayhem. The bedlam came to a pause as the students looked around for the source of that commanding voice, and then, they seemed to part down the middle as one, once they recognized Volg-san.

The red head made his way to Ippo, face creased with concern. "Are you OK, Makunouchi?"

Ippo gulped down air like it was in short supply. He was never a fan of being in the middle of a crowd.

"I-I think so. Thank you, Volg-san."

"What was all that about?"

Ippo shied away from the boy's intense blue eyes as he tried to come up with an answer. Luckily, his other friends used that time to crowd around him, all of their faces filled with concern. Except Miyata-kun. He just looked angry.

"Makunouchi-kun, are you OK?" Kumi-san asked, breathless as though she'd been running. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Ippo shook his head, attention already being diverted to Umezawa-san, who was adjusting the sleeve of Ippo's uniform shirt.

"Jeez, those friggin' animals. Ippo, you should've kicked their asses!"

"Eh-heh. No way, Umezawa-san."

"At least he's alright," Kobashi-san put in.

Even though he was being fussed over, Ippo couldn't help but watch the angry expression on Miyata-kun's face deepen the longer they stood there. Finally, the dark-haired boy seemed to snap.

"So, what did that ape have to say to you that was so important?"

Ippo frowned, confused. He really had no idea why Miyata-kun seemed so upset, but then again, he'd had an idea something like this would happen. He took a breath and stared defiantly back, nervous, but still determined to make his friends see that Sendo-san wasn't such a bad guy.

"He's not an ape, Miyata-kun," he stated firmly, drawing shocked countenances from everyone. "As a matter of fact, he wants to be my friend."

Silence pressed in around the small group like an advancing predator. No one said anything for what felt like forever, but Umezawa-san was the first to kill the quiet with a loud shriek of "WHAT?!"

"No way," Kobashi-san added.

"Are you serious, Makunouchi-kun?" Kumi-san squeaked.

Even Volg-san had something to say. "Makunouchi, that's not funny."

Ippo's frown turned into a deep scowl. Why wouldn't they believe him? Was Sendo-san really that bad of a person that the thought of them being friends was impossible to swallow? He didn't like that. From what he'd seen of the brunet, he was a decent man. Sure he was labeled as the head delinquent of the worst school in their town, but actions spoke louder than words, didn't they? And Sendo-san's actions were harmless so far.

"It's not a joke, and yes, I'm very serious," Ippo said sternly. "W-why don't you believe me?"

"Because he's a violent _criminal_, maybe?" Miyata-kun snapped. "You have _no_ idea what you're doing, Makunouchi, you _dope_. He's playing you! It's probably just a game to him! Why-"

"Miyata-kun!" Ippo shouted, silencing the entire group. They stared back at him like he had four heads and ten arms and legs. "How can you say something so mean? You don't even know him!"

"I know enough."

Ippo shook his head and turned to each of his friends, hoping he would have an ally in at least one of them. Unfortunately, all he got were incredulous looks. He couldn't believe it. He never would have thought that his friends would be so closed-minded. Feeling slightly disturbed, he brushed past his friends and headed for the school building. He had a lot of thinking to do, but he refused to give up his budding friendship with Sendo-san.

**XxxxxxX**

He wasn't speaking to any of them. No matter how hard they tried to talk to him, he refused to respond. He knew they were only aiming to convince him not to be friends with Sendo-san. However, there was one person who seemed to be just as affronted as Ippo. Miyata-kun hadn't said a word to him since their disagreement; all he did was glare at Ippo as if that alone was enough to get him to change his mind about his decision. Ippo passed the dark-haired boy by the lockers, head held high. Normally, he'd feel like scum whenever his friends were upset with him, but this was different. It was like they didn't even want to give Sendo-san a chance to prove that he wasn't a dirtbag like everyone thought he was.

He left the building, school bag slung over his right shoulder. Looked like he was walking home alone today. Well, he didn't mind it all that much. Sometimes he needed to be by himself in order to get his thoughts together.

"Boo!"

Ippo almost fell over as he rounded the brick partition separating the school grounds from the sidewalk. Once his heart calmed down a bit, he was able to find the source of his terrifying moment.

"Sendo-san!"

The brunet was leaning against the stone wall, arms folded across his chest and full lips turned up in his signature smirk. Ippo smoothed a hand over a crease in his school shirt, disguising the fact that he was still trying to slow his breathing. He took in the sight of the taller boy and grinned. Sendo-san's smile was infectious.

"Jeez, Makunouchi. That was _too_ easy!"

"I wasn't expecting you to be here. Wh-what are you doing here?"

"What's that s'posed ta mean? I was waitin' on you. Wanna walk home tagether?"

For some strange reason, Ippo found himself blushing. Yes, he knew that Sendo-san wanted to be friends, but seeing the proof of it was a little overwhelming in itself. He studied the ground for a while before internally scolding himself for hesitating. What was there to be unsure about?

"S-sure."

Sendo-san beamed at him and pushed away from the wall. He threw an arm across Ippo's shoulders and glanced down at him, face so close, Ippo was holding his breath. Was this real? It almost didn't feel like it.

"Which way's yer house?"

"M-my house?"

Sendo-san stared at him for a beat before withdrawing his arm and folding both across his chest again. His expression was serious, almost angry, in fact.

"Why ya keep doin' that?"

"Uh...doing what, Sendo-san?"

"Oh my _God_," Sendo-san groaned and rolled his brown eyes. "_That_, Makunouchi! Ya scared a'me 'er somethin'?"

Ippo shook his head earnestly. "No! No, I'm not!"

"Then stop the fuckin' stutterin'! S'pissin' me off!"

"I'm sorry, Sendo-san."

"An' stop bein' so formal wit' me! _Sendo_. Just _Sendo_. Alright?"

Ippo nodded, almost ashamed. All of his friends told him he was too polite with them, but it was such a habit for him. It would be hard to just stop doing what he'd been doing his whole life. Sendo glared at him until he nodded again.

"OK."

The smile was back as though it had never gone. Sendo lowered his arms and shoved his hands into his pockets. "That's better. Now, which way's yer house?"

Ippo pointed across the street to an alley that he used to get home a little faster. "I go that way."

"Well, let's go."

They made their way over to the alley, Sendo leading the way as if he knew exactly where he was going. Ippo thought it was endearing how straightforward Sendo tended to be. The trek through the alley was short, and in no time they were walking the path beside the river. Ippo was nervous. He knew what kinds of things to say around his other friends, but Sendo was different. Not only was he a new presence, but he was also kind of intimidating. Ippo kicked at a small rock, tossing around ideas in his mind of what he could talk about with the older boy. Finally, a thought hit him.

"Sendo-san – OW!" Ippo cried, grabbing his upper arm in disbelief. "What was that for?"

"What's my name, Makunouchi?"

Sendo's face was blank, but his tone of voice was enough to make Ippo shudder. It didn't take him long to realize his blunder, though. Sheepishly, he grinned.

"Sorry...Sendo."

"Alright. Now, what were you gonna ask me?"

Ippo winced as he rotated his shoulder, loosening the muscles that had bunched in defense against Sendo's swift punch. He supposed he would have to get used to Sendo's brand of friendship. If nothing else, it would make him stronger, that was for sure. He sighed and peered at the taller boy from the corner of his eye.

"How old are you?"

Sendo grinned, but kept facing forward. "Eighteen. You?"

"Seventeen. Um, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Nah. Just me an' my granny. You?"

Ippo frowned. Just him and his granny? Did that mean that Sendo didn't have any parents? That might be too personal, so he skipped over it.

"I don't have any brothers or sisters, either. It's just me and my mom."

He thought about his dad, and his stomach clenched like it always did. He still missed him so much. He didn't notice Sendo watching him until he turned to ask another question. Those brown eyes weren't as sharp as they usually were. Instead, they were gentle and curious. Ippo almost froze as his face warmed. Why couldn't his friends see this side of Sendo?

"He's gone, isn't he?" Sendo asked quietly.

Ippo swallowed past the lump rising in his throat. All he could do was nod, though. He tried answering with words, but it was impossible at the moment. He averted his gaze towards the shimmering surface of the river, brows pulled into a helpless scowl. The water seemed like it was mocking him since it had been the cause of his father's death. It danced merrily, bouncing the sun's rays back at them like miniature beach balls. The silence stretched on for a while, only interrupted here and there by seagulls and passing vehicles on the bridge ahead of them. Ippo didn't know what to do to erase the awkward moment. They'd been doing so well.

"I lost my pop too, ya know? And my mom, but she went when I was still a baby. My dad didn' go 'til I was 'bout six. He was a hero, though. A fire fighter. He died savin' a kid from a burnin' buildin'. He's the one who taught me what real strength is."

Ippo stared at Sendo. The brunet was watching him in return just as intensely, but there was no indication that he was sad or holding on to any residual grief. Maybe he could learn a thing or two from Sendo since he felt the exact same way about his own father. His dad had passed, trying to save one of his customers who'd fallen overboard the small Makunouchi fishing boat. His mother had told him the story once he'd been old enough, and he remembered being filled with pride. His dad was a hero...just like Sendo's.

"Yeah," he agreed, somehow knowing that he wouldn't need to say anything else for Sendo to understand.

They moved on in a silence that only lasted for no longer than a minute. Ippo was so deeply engrossed within his own mind that he'd forgotten he was supposed to be learning more about his new friend. Lucky for him, Sendo was on a mission.

"Hey, Makunouchi...why're you so nice?"

Ippo arched a brow, genuinely surprised at the question. He'd been asked it so many times that it shouldn't have come as a shock. But it did. Even worse, he still didn't have an answer for it. Yes, his parents had ingrained proper manners into him as a small child, but he really didn't know why he was so nice that he was almost a pushover most of the time. It was embarrassing.

"I...I don't really know."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. You're not the first person to ask me that, and you're not the first person I've been unable to answer."

"Hmm," Sendo noised as he tilted his head and rubbed his hairless chin. "Don' get me wrong; I don' think it's a bad thing. I was jus' wonderin'."

"Oh."

"So...ya got a girlfriend, Makunouchi?"

Ippo instantly went red. Now, where had that come from? He peeked at Sendo from the corner of his eye, only to turn away with a cringe at finding that drilling brown gaze on him. He wanted to writhe in embarrassment. If he said no, would Sendo laugh at him? By all means, they were at the age where dating should have been the norm, but Ippo had never gotten that far. Sure, he'd thought about it. He'd even thought he'd had a few crushes, but he'd always been too nervous to approach anyone. Kumi-san didn't count because she was his friend. He didn't even see her that way, even though a lot of the guys in their school had a thing for her. Deciding to just go ahead and tell the truth, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"No, I don't have one."

"Why not?" Sendo fired right back, merciless.

"I just never got around to it, I guess. Um, can we change the subject, Sendo-sa – I mean, Sendo?"

It was wishful thinking, of course, but he gave it a shot anyway. And like he'd been expecting when he asked, Sendo rejected the notion right away.

"No way, Makunouchi," the brunet answered with that canine heavy grin. "Don'tcha got anyone ya like?"

Ippo groaned and covered his face with his hands. This wasn't happening. He was prepared to talk about almost anything else but this. _Anything_. Why did Sendo have to latch onto the _one_ topic he was so unsure about?

"Sendo, I don't think about it. Maybe I did at one point, but it's not important to me now. I have good friends, and that's all that matters."

Sendo recoiled like Ippo had smacked the hell out of him. Mouth open, the brunet stared. "But...but what about yer urges an' shit? I know ya get horny from time ta time. Don'tcha want somebody there that can...you know...take care of it?"

"No! I don't...I just...Sendo, _please_..."

"Alright, alright. Sheesh. I can't believe yer single on purpose. Most guys don' have a choice 'bout that kinda stuff, but I don' think ya got that problem. ...Hey, wait...Makunouchi...are you gay?"

Ippo choked on his saliva as he pulled to a stop. He stared at Sendo, paralyzed with shock. _Now_ what was he talking about? Because Ippo didn't have a girlfriend, it had to mean that he was...that he was _gay_?

"I...no! I'm not! I don't like guys! I mean...not like that, anyway!"

He was beet red. He had to be. His face felt like it was a pit of lava, and his armpits were beginning to sweat. He was so nervous, he was almost trembling. Did the way he behaved give off the impression that he was gay? The way he talked? What was it that made Sendo ask him something like that?

Sendo's face had gone blank. He was studying Ippo like he saw something that he didn't understand and was trying to figure out. After a few moments of that, the brunet turned away with a grunt and a small scowl. What was that about? Ippo didn't know what to do anymore. He hoped he hadn't made Sendo mad or anything. And then it dawned on him.

"Ah, um...Sendo...you, uh...are you..."

Brown eyes focused on him so quickly, it felt like a swipe of a blade. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

The following silence was painful. Ippo wanted to apologize, but figured it would only make the situation worse. Good grief, he couldn't do anything right. Here he had a chance to make a new friend, but he kept messing it up at every turn. He was so stupid. But, yet again, he was saved by the older boy beside him.

"Ya got somethin' against gay people, Makunouchi? I think ya should tell me now be-"

"No! Not at all, Sendo! I just...I wasn't expecting you to ask me that, so I got a little defensive, but I'm not homophobic. In fact, Miya-"

Ippo immediately cut himself off. That was something Miyata-kun had told him in confidence, and Ippo wasn't sure he should be sharing that kind of news with Sendo. He just didn't want the brunet to think that he was prejudiced or anything.

Sendo's grin was slow and mischievous. "That ain't no secret ta me, Makunouchi."

"Wh-what? You know?"

"Heh. Ya mean, ole goody-two-shoes ain't told ya why he hates my fuckin' guts?"

Ippo shook his head. Was there something more to the story about Miyata-kun's anger towards Sendo? If so, why hadn't Miyata-kun told him? Weren't they supposed to be best friends? Ippo frowned and glared down at his sneakers as they turned onto his street. Well, that was disturbing.

"I take it he hasn't. You should ask him 'bout that when ya get a chance."

"Oh, I will," Ippo replied, anger evident in his voice.

The rest of the walk was quiet, each boy clearly focused on their own thoughts. When Ippo stopped in front of his home, he realized that Sendo was watching him, brown eyes amused.

"I'm glad yer not a homophobe, Makunouchi. I woulda hated ta hafta kick yer ass, ya know?"

Ippo chuckled and shook his head. Sendo was so blunt, but Ippo liked it. He didn't have to guess what the older boy was thinking because he always made it known. This was something Ippo could get used to.

"I understand. Um, thank you for walking me home, Sendo."

"Gah!" Sendo exclaimed as he waved a hand back and forth in front of his face. "Ya make it sound like a date 'er somethin'!"

Ippo blushed as the thought ran through his mind. Almost instantly afterward, he went still with shock at himself. Why was he...? It had to be the questions Sendo had been asking him. Why else would he even consider thinking of himself and Sendo on a date? He must have gone quiet for too long because Sendo's head tilted to the side like a curious puppy, one dark eyebrow arched. Time seemed to pause when Sendo stepped closer, diminishing the gap between their bodies. He was taller, so he looked down into Ippo's eyes, expression completely serious.

"Yer not havin' second thoughts are ya?"

Ippo worked his mouth open and closed, but there were no words forthcoming. He wanted to say something, wanted to deny what Sendo was clearly trying to imply, but he was rooted in place. The air felt like it had suddenly gone thick with an unrecognizable tension, and it didn't help matters that Sendo's face kept moving closer and closer to his own. What was going on? Sendo's head tilted a little more until they were damned near brushing cheeks, his lips next to Ippo's right ear.

"See ya tomorrow, Makunouchi," he murmured before backing away with a small, secretive grin.

Ippo didn't know what to think as he watched his new friend amble away in the opposite direction, but the pounding of his heart was trying to give him an idea.

**Thanks for reading! Next time...**


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